Bearings are generally used to support and hold a rotating member attached to a non-rotating member. This can be e.g. a wheel on a vehicle, a vane on a wind turbine or a drum in a washing machine. During use, the bearing is subjected to different loads, both static and dynamic. The static load is mainly due to the weight of the machine, while the dynamic loads are due to the working conditions of the machine.
In order to monitor the loads and stresses imposed on a bearing, displacement sensors may be used. One type of displacement sensor used for this type of measurement is strain gauges. One or more strain gauges are attached to the outer or inner bearing ring in order to detect the load imposed on the bearing. In some cases, one or more sensors mounted on the housing in which the bearing is mounted or on the axle held by the bearing can also be used to detect the loads imposed on the bearing.
It is also possible to mount a sensor in a hole in the bearing ring in order to monitor the loads imposed on the bearing. Such a mounting is advantageously used on larger bearings, where the drilling of a hole does not influence the strength of the bearing ring. Still, the mounting of a sensor in such a way requires several operations to be performed. The sensor is further subjected to environmental influences, which in some cases may be very severe. There may also be a need to include other components in a bearing ring. Such a component may be a magnetic material that cooperates with a hall sensor positioned outside of the bearing or an identification means, such as a RFID tag. Those components will also be subjected to environmental influences.
There is thus room for an improved mounting method of a sensor or the like in a bearing ring.